The hero for the Philippines was 18-year-old striker Banatao, who scored both goals. The Filipino-American player is currently a student at Old Dominion University in Virginia, USA.
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Striker Banatao (7) scored two goals to help the Philippines defeat Malaysia 2-0 in their first Group A match of the U23 Southeast Asian Football Championship at Bung Karno Stadium, Indonesia, on 15/7. Photo: PFF |
Striker Banatao (7) scored two goals to help the Philippines defeat Malaysia 2-0 in their first Group A match of the U23 Southeast Asian Football Championship at Bung Karno Stadium, Indonesia, on 15/7. Photo: PFF
Malaysia dominated possession with 70% and unleashed 21 shots, 7 of which were on target, but couldn't find the back of the net. Their forwards were either unlucky or lacked the sharpness to beat the Philippines' goalkeeper, Guimaraes. In one instance, a Malaysian forward stumbled while facing the goalkeeper and shot wide. The woodwork also denied Malaysia twice, with shots hitting the crossbar and post.
In contrast, the Philippines opted for a defensive counter-attacking strategy, which proved highly effective. With only 30% possession, they managed 5 shots, 3 on target, resulting in two goals. They almost had a third, but it was denied by the crossbar.
Both of the Philippines' goals came from similar scenarios. In the 9th minute, after withstanding early pressure, they launched their first counter-attack. Midfielder Mariona broke down the left flank, beating a Malaysian defender before crossing for Banatao to tap in and open the scoring.
In the 40th minute, another counter-attack down the left flank saw midfielder Dalapo drive forward and deliver a pass into the box. Banatao took his time to control the ball before placing a shot into the far corner, making it 2-0.
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Malaysian strikers (in yellow) were frustrated by the Philippines' defense in their first Group A match of the U23 Southeast Asian Football Championship at Bung Karno Stadium, Indonesia, on 15/7. Photo: Nam Trung |
Malaysian strikers (in yellow) were frustrated by the Philippines' defense in their first Group A match of the U23 Southeast Asian Football Championship at Bung Karno Stadium, Indonesia, on 15/7. Photo: Nam Trung
The Philippines' victory was a deserved reward for their well-organized defense and clinical counter-attacks, a strategy implemented by coach McPherson. The team's preparation was also evident in their selection of players of Filipino heritage, including goalkeeper Guimaraes (Japan), defender Noah Leddel (Hong Kong), midfielders Jax Pena (USA), Gavin Muens (USA), John Lucero (Thailand), and striker Banatao (USA).
These players, combined with domestic talents, made the Philippines a formidable opponent for Malaysia, who only had two naturalized players: defender Gabriel Palmero (Spain) and striker Fergus Tierney (Scotland).
The 2025 U23 Southeast Asian Championship is taking place in Indonesia from 15/7 to 29/7, featuring 10 teams divided into three groups. The teams play each other once in a round-robin format, with the top three teams from each group and the best second-placed team advancing to the semi-finals.
Group A consists of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei. With this unexpected result, the race for qualification is now wide open between hosts Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia.
Duc Dong
